Letting Go
by Crash's Angel
Summary: Xover KH2 ... Axel wakes up in Soul Society after his defeat by Sora and meets Renji. Chaos ensues.
1. Chapter 1

Axel shook his head as he sat up after being knocked down by Sora for what seemed like the hundredth time. Only, this time, he wasn't where he had been before. He wasn't sure where he was, but it wasn't anywhere he had ever been before. Which was pretty impressive, considering all the worlds he had traveled to before meeting Sora.

He stood up and started to brush off his clothes, but stopped short. He was no longer wearing the long black coat of Organization XIII. Instead, he was now wearing a what looked like a black skirt and what could only be a white shirt, but it was completely open in the front, just hanging on his shoulders.

_Japan_, his mind threw up before him. _I must be in Japan_. He had visited the country once before and saw similar clothing on some people at a shrine. But that didn't explain why he was in Japan or why he was suddenly wearing clothing that was so different from his normal wardrobe.

Looking at his surroundings, Axel noticed the pristine white buildings rising up around him. In fact, it seemed everything was white. Buildings, ground, walls, even the sky suffered from being covered in white clouds.

It seemed that the only thing that wasn't white was the group of men dressed in the same black skirt-type pants as himself and black shirts. The group was made up of about a half dozen men, led by a man with blazing red hair and some crazy tattoos on his forehead.

"Who are you?" the leader of the group asked when they reached him.

Axel smirked at them. "I am a Nobody."

"That's nice. I want to know your name," the leader responded.

"You can call me Axel. Got it memorized?"

The red-headed leader's eyes widened. "So rude," he muttered under his breath. "What are you doing in the Court of Pure Souls?" he questioned.

"Good question. When you find out, don't let me know. I've got a fight to go finish with a brat," Axel said, calling up the darkness around him to transport him back to his fight. Only, the darkness didn't come and he didn't leave.

"I'm afraid that's not an option."

"Why is that? What have you done to me that I can't leave this place?" Axel asked, starting to feel a little cornered by the men.

"I haven't done anything to you personally. It happens to everyone when they die," the red head said.

"Die? Oh, that's a great joke. Now, mind telling me what you're barely talking about?"

"Geez, I hate this part. I'm terrible at this part," the red head muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. "You died during whatever fight you were fighting," he said. "You're dead and there's no going back to where you were before."

Axel looked down at himself and held his arms out to his sides so that he could look down at himself. "So this is what it's like to be dead? I thought it would have been a bit more painful, or more pleasant. More something, at least." He spun around in a circle as if that would let him see his own back.

"Not more; less," the red head said. "You return to your original age."

"So, I should be an infant if that's true," Axel said, looking skeptically at the red head before him.

"Usually. But you must be unusual if you're here right after your death. I should take you to my captain. He'll know what to make of you," the group leader said.

"Well that's all fine and dandy for you, but why should I trust you. You said I was rude, but you haven't even introduced yourself yet. Now who's the rude one?" Axel said.

"Uh, right. Sorry 'bout that. Name's Renji. Vice-captain of the 6th division of the Seireitei. Nice to meet ya."

"Nice to meet you, Renji. What's up with those eyebrows?" Axel asked with a smirk.

There were a few snickers from the members of the group behind Renji, and one rather indignant snort. But all of that was drowned out by a loud 'That's enough' shouted by Renji.

"Touchy subject?" Axel asked, leaning to the side so he could look at the men behind Renji.

"You really are rude," a young member of the group spoke up. Axel noticed that he had some of the same markings streaming from his eyebrows as Renji had.

Axel raised an eyebrow and shrugged. He watched Renji glare at the man who had spoken up and then turn towards a white building, the whole group following after him. Axel decided it couldn't do him any harm, if he was in fact dead, as he was told, so he followed after the group.

Axel stood before a desk in an office that Renji had led him to. Behind the desk sat a rather stiff-looking man with long black hair, held back from his face by a strange, white hair piece. The man looked at Renji with an expectant look, waiting for something.

"We found him in the Pure Souls Court while on patrol. He just appeared there," Renji said, a respectful tone to his voice that hadn't been there when he had just been talking to Axel.

The man sitting behind the desk turned his attention to Axel. "Where did you come from?"

"I am nobody. I come from nowhere," Axel responded.

"His name is Axel," Renji spoke up. "He died fighting."

The man's eyes flicked to where Renji stood and then back to Axel. "A noble death," he said, insincerity dripping from his words.

"I would have gotten back up and beaten the little shit if he hadn't killed me. I didn't even know he had until this genius here," he said, motioning at Renji, "told me. Now, mind being just a little polite and telling me who you are, since you know my name."

"Byakuya Kuchiki, captain of the 6th division."

"Nice to meet you. Just out of curiosity, is everyone here so nice?" Axel asked.

"Show some respect," the squad member that had spoken up earlier shouted.

"And you are?" Axel asked.

"Rikichi."

"Nice to meet you," Axel said. "See, that's how it works. I give my name. You give yours. We pass off some polite nonsense that we really don't give a hoot about and we go on about our days."

"You really are rude," Rikichi said.

"I suppose that all depends on where you're standing," Axel said, moving to stand over by the door of the office, near where Rikichi stood. "See, from here, it could look rude. But from over here," he moved back to his original position, "it's fine and your actions are rude."

"Uh, wait a minute. That doesn't sound right," a random member from the group said.

"Nope. It's right," Axel said. "So, what do you intend to do with me?"

"That has yet to be decided," Byakuya said. "For now, you will remain under surveillance of the 6th division, until a decision as to your fate has been made."

"Wow. You almost make it sound like I'm under arrest," Axel said. "Why don't you just put me in shackles and a cell?"

"Tempting as the thought is, I don't think that's a necessary step to take," Byakuya said.

"Wow. I think I'm insulted. You don't think I'm dangerous enough to do more than just watch me," Axel said.

But Byakuya wasn't paying him any mind. He had made some kind of dismissive hand wave movement and then turned back to the piles of paperwork on his desk.

Axel turned to look at Renji. "That our cue to get lost?" he asked the vice captain.

"Yes. I'll show you to an empty room you can use for now," Renji said.

Renji, he'll be staying with you. I don't want him free to wander about as he pleases at night," Byakuya said, never looking up from his desk.

Axel just stared at the captain for a minute. "Wait a minute," Axel yelled.

"What a minute," Renji shouted at the same time.

"You ignore me when I speak directly to you, but you pay attention to him when he isn't even talking to you. How does that figure?" Axel demanded.

"Captain, I really don't think ... HEY! Why aren't you mad about having to stay with me?" Renji yelled at Axel.

"You must not be thinking. He's being incredibly rude," Axel said.

"He's a very busy nobleman."

"That doesn't excuse his rudeness."

"Is there a problem, Abarai?" Byakuya asked.

"No, Captain," Renji said, pulling Axel out of the office. "Do you want to die?" Renji asked Axel. "You piss him off and he'll shred you to pieces.

"He's too pretty to be that strong," Axel scoffed as they walked away from the office. "Though, I suppose, you get to a certain point and you either have to get stronger or get a big, strong boyfriend to protect you," Axel said. He paused for a minute, a thoughtful look crossing over his face. "You aren't his boyfriend, are you?" Axel asked.

"What?!?!?! Hell NO!!! I don't bottomo for no one!!" Renji screamed.

Axel laughed. This was going to be great. Getting to pick on Renji almost made up for being dead. Which promptly sombered Axel.

"Now what's your problem?" Renji asked, noticing the rapid change in the other redheads mood.

"I'm dead. I'm really dead," Axel said, coming to a stop. He leaned against a wall and ran his hands through his hair.

"Yeah. Sucks, huh?" Renji said.

"Aren't you just the kind-hearted softie," Axel said, pushing off from the wall. "I think your heart died when you did, and it didn't stay with your soul."

"People die. You can either wallow in your greif or get on with your life," Renji said matter-of-factly.

"In case you didn't notice back there, my life just ended about an hour ago. Not much to get on with anymore," Axel said dejectedly.

"You're not the only one who's ever died here, you know. Everyone here has died. They've had to give up a life they knew and loved," Renji said, his eyes downcast.

"Who did you have to leave behind?" Axel asked, stopping to lean against another builing. There were plenty of tall, white buildings crowding the streets, all just fine for leaning against.

"My entire family. I try not to think about them anymore. I have a new life with a new purpose now. It's not the same, but it's right for me," Renji said, leaning up against the wall next to Axel.

"There's someone that I just can't leave behind. Someone precious to me. I have to see him again. Maybe, once I do, maybe, then I can move on," Axel said crossing his arms over his chest. "I just want to hold him in my arms, one more time."


	2. Chapter 2

Renji just didn't know what to say to Axel's admission. There really wasn't a way for Axel to see his still living loved one, not right now. The only possible way would be for him to become a shinigami and then go on patrol in the real world and find the man he left behind. Renji considered telling this to the depressed red-head, but decided against in. He didn't want to get the guys hopes up unnecessarily. Not everyone in Soul Society could become a shinigami, and even those that did have enough spiritual power to become one had to endure years of schooling to learn how to control that power properly. No, best not to get his hopes up.

"You know, you sound like you could use a drink," Renji said, throwing an arm around Axel's shoulders. "I know this great place and you can meet some of my friends here," he said, leading them off down the row.

A while later, Axel sat at a table between Renji and a bald, loud-mouth that had been introduced to him as Ikkaku. The feathery pretty boy that seemed to have a penchant for bondage, if the strange orange collar he wore was any indicator, flouncy around on Ikkaku's lap was named Yumichika. Next was Shuuhei, a man who, if it was possible, had more tattoos than Renji. Sitting next to Shuuhei, but seeming apart from the group, was a petulant blonde named Kira. Trying to bring Kira into the raucous conversation that was picking up among the tables members was a pair of walking tits that was attached to some strawberry blonde hair. Axel wasn't sure, he hadn't been paying attention once he'd spied her, but he thought Renji had introduced the walking tits ...er the woman, as Matsumoto. Between her and Renji sat some American military man wannabe in sunglasses, named Iba.

"You made it sound more like we were going to a bar," Axel said to Renji. "What are we doing at your friend's place?" he asked, suspicion in his voice.

"I never said we were going to a bar of any kind," Renji said. "Thought you could use a drink and took you to a great place I know of for a good drink," he said. "This is the best place to get a drink in Soul Society."

Axel downed another cup of sake, the alcohol burning on its way down his throat. He sat back, listening to the conversations going on around him, a small smile playing about his lips despite himself. Whenever the couple next to him got too hot and heavy, the rest of the group would yell at them to get a room, which would promptly break them apart. Usually accompanied by a muttered _fuck off _from Ikkaku as Yumichika hid his blushing cheeks against his shoulder. In between the make-out sessions, Ikkaku would play jan-ken-po and have drinking contests with Iba, claiming it was to see who would get the high ground the next time they fought.

Matsumoto, who was already quite drunk, was throwing herself at Kira, 'complaints' about how large her breasts were drawing his eyes to them repeatedly. Shuuhei was trying to keep her hands out of Kira's shirt, all the while trying to slip his own hands down the blonde's pants.

"You're friends are kinda perverted, aren't they?" Axel asked Renji, looking around at the room's occupants.

Renji shrugged. "Sometimes, you gotta take your fun where you can find it," Renji said and downed another cup of sake.

Axel smirked. "Yeah, I understand that. But, I have to say, if Ikkaku sticks his finger up Yumichika's ass one more time, I might just have to cut his arm off," he said with a jovial smile.

Everyone in the room turned to stare at the couple. Yumichika hid another blush against Ikkaku's shoulders. Ikkaku shot a glare at the new red head in the group. He didn't know why Renji had brought the stranger to their drinking group. He wasn't quite happy with the vice-captain's decision to include the man. He wasn't even completely dressed, only wearing a simple white undershirt with his hakama, and his shirt wasn't even closed. What kind of slob was this guy. He didn't even have his zanpakto with him.

"You and what sword?" Ikkaku scoffed. "You forget your sword in the barracks?"

"I don't need a sword to kick your ass," Axel said, clenching his fists at his side, desperately wanting to feel his chakram in his hands, but not wanting to try calling them for fear that they wouldn't come to him. Like the darkness refusing to answer his call earlier.

"Wouldn't want to pick on someone that doesn't know how to fight," Ikkaku said with a smirk, nuzzling Yumichika's neck.

"So, if I don't have a sword, I don't know how to fight?" Axel asked, looking around the room. "That really doesn't make sense. I would think that if you can't go toe to toe with me without a sword, it would be you that doesn't know how to fight."

Iba smirked. "He's got you there," he said on a laugh.

Ikkaku glared at his friend, then slid his glare to Axel. "Fancy talker, but can you really fight?" he asked.

Axel smirked. He was under the guy's skin. It was always so much fun to fight when you were under someone's skin. "I can fight, but I don't think just saying so is going to be enough for you. I'd say let's fight, but with all these people in here, there really isn't any room," Axel said. "So, if that's going to be the case, where can we go to have a good fight without worrying about breaking stuff?"

"You could use one of the divisions' training halls," Kira said, no longer trying to squirm away from the hands molesting him. "But they're all closed at this time of night," he added, pointing out the window to the night darkened sky.

"Not the 11th division's training hall. It's open all the time, so that anyone from the division can come in and use it," Yumichika said, lifting his face from Ikkaku's shoulder. "You could fight there."

"That works for me. Let's go baldy," Axel said, a smirk playing about the corners of his lips.

Ikkaku squaked his outrage at the much hated nickname. "Don't call me BALDY!" He stood up, Yumichika in his arms still and headed for the door. "Follow me and I'll show you a proper ass-kicking," he said, heading towards the door, Yumichika fussing in his arms about being able to walk just fine by himself.

Axel watched them leave and then looked at the rest of the group. "So, anyone else here know where they're going, or am I just supposed to guess?" he asked.

Renji stood up, a little wobbly on his feet from all the alcohol they had consumed. "Yeah, I know the way. Don't know why you would want to fight when you been drinking, but it's your funeral ... err, party," he said as he headed towards the door.

"This could be fun," Shuuhei said, getting to his feet and pulling Kira to his own. Iba was already standing and helping Matsumoto to her feet. Axel quickly finished off the bottle they had been working on and stood as well.

"Lead the way," Axel said, motioning towards the door, waiting for Renji to head out first.

The group reached the training hall in short order, to find Ikkaku waiting, rather impatiently, and Yumichika trying to calm him down.

"Took you slackers long enough to get here," Ikkaku raged when they walked in. He jumped at Axel as soon as he'd walked in the room, swinging a kick at his head, which he ducked, swinging a fist at Ikkaku's midsection in return. Ikkaku twisted to avoid the attack, but the fist still hit him in the ribs, knocking him off balance, causing him to land on one knee.

"That's not nice. Attacking me before I'm ready. Is that the kind of honor you have?" Axel asked, walking to the center of the room to stand facing his opponent.

Ikkaku was back on his feet quickly, heading towards Axel. "Looks like you're ready now," he said as he launched another attack, his fists flying at the other man's head. Axel managed to dodge most of them, sending counterattacks toward the other man, landing a few blows. The two men circled around the hall, throwing punches, kicks flying, attacks landing and being dodged for quite some time. After about 10 minutes of them fighting, Axel managed to land a solid kick that sent Ikkaku flying.

"Damn you," Ikkaku growled, getting back up from the floor, bruises blossoming on his left cheek and he could feel several sore spots on his stomach and arms that would be turning shades of purple and blue before the night was out. He was frustrated that this fool was not only keeping up with him, but also managing to land some blows on him. Some solid blows, that would hurt in the morning. Ikkaku grinned. When this guy got fully trained and had a zanpakto of his own, it would be one hell of a fight. For now, though, Axel was just pissing him off. Some untrained nobody was fighting equally with him. Ikkaku pulled Houzukimaru from his sheath and attacked the red head with the bladed weapon.

Axel saw the blade coming for his head, but had no way to block the impending attack. Oh, how he wished he had his chakram. He raised his arms up in a feeble attempt to block the coming blow. It wouldn't do anything to actually stop the attack, but it gave the illusion that it would help, that it would stop the attack and save his life. It was a very limited illusion and he was right back to wanting his chakram in his hands. He wanted it so bad, in fact, that he could almost feel the weapons in his hands, the cool metal heating up in his palms. Then, he noticed that Ikkaku had stopped his attack, his eyes glued to Axel's raised hands.

Axel looked to his raised hands and couldn't believe his eyes. His chakram had come to his call, had not abandoned him like the darkness had. He spun the weapons around on his hands, delight plain on his face at having his weapons. Gripping them tight, he took up a fighting stance and looked at Ikkaku. "Still want to fight?" he asked with a grin.

"Okay, you two, I don't think you should be fighting with bladed weapons when you've been drinking," Matsumoto said, moving to stand between the two men. "And as a responsible ranked officer here, I'm telling both of you to stop now."

Ikkaku scoffed at her, but Yumichika stepping close and putting a gentle hand on his shoulder had him backing down and resheathing Houzukimaru. Turning towards his lover, Ikkaku nuzzled against the other man's neck.

"Let's go back home, Yumi. There was still some sake left. Probably about half a bottle," Ikkaku said, wrapping an arm around the slighter man's waist.

"Actually, Axel finished it off before we headed over here," Iba said, a frown on his face.

Ikkaku gaped at Axel. "You finished the rest of the bottle?"

Axel nodded. "Yeah. Pretty good shit."

"Thanks. Next time you can buy," Ikkaku said as he led Yumichika off towards their home.

"Come on. Still need to get you settled in," Renji said, grabbing Axel by the back of his neck and leading him off towards his home.

They reached Renji's apartment in a couple minutes. Really, a person could walk anywhere in the Court of Pure Souls in a matter of minutes. Renji led Axel into the apartment. Since he was a vice captain, he got slightly large rooms than other officers.

"Are you going to sleep with those things?" Renji asked, pointing to Axel's chakram that he still carried with him.

Axel really didn't want to send them away. He still didn't trust that they would come to his summons all the time. Or even the next time he needed them.

"How did you even get them? You haven't even been given a zanpakto yet?" Renji said.

"They were my weapons when I was alive," Axel said. "I was kind of afraid that I'd lost them."

"Well, it looks like they're your shikai. Try sending them back to wherever you normally keep them," Renji suggested.

Axel kneeled down on the floor and concentrated for a moment, his chakrams set on his lap, and tried to dematerialized the weapons. One minute he was holding his chakram, and the next he was holding a sheathed katana across his lap. He picked the sword up and examined it, slipping it from the sheath a little to look at the blade.

"So, this will turn back into my chakram with a little practice?" he asked Renji, holding up the sword for the other man to see.

"Yeah," Renji said, pulling a bottle and two cups from the shelves. "Don't worry about it for now. I'm sure once Captain Kuchiki knows about what happened, he'll make arrangements," Renji assured the other man, setting the bottle down on a low table.

"Sorry, I don't have nicer stuff, but it works for me," Renji said as he sat down on a slightly battered cushion, motioning for Axel to take a seat as well and poured them each a drink. The two of them drank in silence for a while, emptying the bottle before either of them had a thought about stopping. By the time the bottle was empty, neither of them had very many thoughts.

Axel curled up and rested his head against Renji's shoulder. "'M tired," he slurred, moving to nuzzle against the other man's neck.

"Then we should get you to bed," Renji said, the alcohol and late hour slurring his words.

Axel shook his head, nuzzling against Renji's neck, and slung his arm across the other man's chest, his hand coming to rest on Renji's hip. "Not gonna happen. 'M too drunk to get up."

"What are you doing?" Renji asked as Axel entwined their bodies more thoroughly. He ran a hand through Axel's flame red hair, his other arm moving to loop behind Axel's back.

"Getting comfortable," Axel said, tipping them over, causing them to topple over onto the floor, curled on his side. He pulled Renji's shirt open, baring his chest, and began tracing lines with his fingers on the exposed flesh. He didn't want to sleep alone his first night in this new place, he didn't want to be left behind. Curled against Renji's side, Axel drifted off to sleep, his head pillowed on Renji's shoulder, Axel's hand splayed over the other man's heart.

"Don't leave me," Axel muttered his sleep, a whimper escaping him.

Renji heard the quiet vocalizations from the other man and compulsively held him tighter, his arm that Axel wasn't sleeping on going to rest on the other man's hip. Renji's arm that Axel was sleeping on curled around his shoulders. "I won't," Renji said.


	3. Chapter 3

Axel woke up with warm arms holding him tight against a muscled body, laying on a hard floor, and someone knocking loudly on a nearby door. He groaned, rolling towards the body to his left, and nuzzled into the chest he found there, trying to block out the noise. It wasn't working.

Renji cracked open an eye when he felt the body in his arms shift. The sun was up, light glaring bright shining in through the windows and someone was knocking on his front door. He looked at the man lying snuggled in his arms and didn't want to move, not wanting to disturb the sleeping beauty that he held so close to his heart. But he had to answer the door. As a vice captain, he had a responsibility to his subordinates, and the possibility that it was a fellow officer outside was pretty good.

"Axel, I have to answer the door," Renji said, moving to remove himself from the other man's arms. He sat up, started to stand, when Axel wrapped his arms around his waist.

"I'm comfy," Axel muttered.

"Too bad. It might be someone important at the door. I have to see who it is," Renji said, wiggling out of Axel's arms. "Have a pillow," he said, letting the other man wrap his arms around a cushion.

"Not as warm, but mkay," Axel said, snuggling down into the pillow.

Renji shook his head at the other man and opened the door. And promptly muttered, "oh, shit." He squared his shoulders and stood up straight. "Captain Kuchiki," he said, formality slipping back into his person. He invited his captain inside, offering him a seat at the table. He went about making tea, setting out tea for himself and his captain, and then sat down himself. As soon as he'd sat down, Axel wrapped his arms back around Renji's waist, pillowing his head in his lap.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow at that as he looked his second in command up and down, taking in his rumpled, slept-in clothing and his unkempt hair. "Is there a good reason you're extremely late for work? So much so, that I had to come fetch you myself?" Byakuya asked, his eyes roving about the room.

"Does not waking up count as a good reason?" Renji asked. At the shake of his captain's head, Renji's shoulders drooped a little. "I took Axel out drinking last night and we did not return home until quite late. I guess I just overslept," Renji explained.

"I see. I also heard about the fight last night between Axel and the third seat from the Eleventh Division," Byakuya said. "Have an explanation for that as well?"

"Do you want a good explanation or would any old one do?" Renji asked, trying to make a joke. The scathing look from Byakuya stopped any further joking commentary from the red head. "All I can offer is that they were drinking and were only sparring for practice," he said with a shrug. "It wasn't all fighting. Axel summoned a zanpakto in it's shikai released form and was able to reseal it into a sword form that stayed with him," he added.

Axel sat up with a sigh. "You know, you really shouldn't talk about me like I'm not right here," he said, laying his newly acquired sword across his lap.

"Sorry," Byakuya murmured, his eyes on the sword in the other man's lap. "Though, I believe you also owe me an apology for keeping my vice captain from work this morning," he said, his eyes moving over the length of the sword.

"Sorry 'bout that," Axel muttered, studying the sword. He'd been a little too drunk last night to really pay attention to the detail of the sword, but now, in the light of day, he could see that it was beautifully made. The sheath was lacquered a crimson so dark it looked black if you weren't looking at it in bright light. The handle was wrapped in red material, giving the sword a good grip. The gaurd was made of black metal, an intricate design woven into the metal, consisting mostly of circles, crosses, and throwing knives. The design made him smile. He could definitely see his chakram in the sword, even with it safely tucked away in the sheath.

"It is your weapon. But, more than that, you will learn, that your sword is your closest friend," Byakuya said, his hand tracing over Senbonzakura. "You will learn that it is not some outside strength that you borrow, but your true inner strength that you will learn to draw out, making yourself stronger." Byakuya finished his tea and stood. "Renji, I expect you to take Axel to the training hall today and get him to be able to freely release his shikai before you leave," he said as he headed for the door to the small apartment.

After the Sixth Division captain had left, Axel looked to Renji. "What's he mean about being able to release my shikai?" he asked, his mind trying to pull the word from the alcohol clouded memories from the previous night.

"Transforming your sword into your chakram wheels you pulled out of nowhere last night," Renji said, getting up to make ther other red head a cup of tea and to make both of them some breakfast.

Hours later found Renji and Axel in the training hall, both of them covered in sweat and breathing heavily. They started their training with a sparring session to get warmed up, but it turned into much more, neither of the men wanting to give in and call a halt to their fight, be it a friendly training exercise or not. Renji could hear Zabimaru whispering in his ear to be let loose, to be allowed to take out the man that refused to go down. He continued to deny release to his sword, reminding himself and Zabimaru that it wouldn't be fair to unleash his shikai on someone that couldn't freely release their own.

Axel concentrated on his opponent, his eyes never leaving the other man, his attention never wavering. Except for the quiet voice whispering in his ear. He'd been ignoring the voice for some time now, trying to keep his mind on the fight. But, this female had been muttering for at least an hour, nonsense murmurs, half heard breaths on the wind. Pausing, he shook his head, trying to shake the soft voice away.

"Why do you try to rid yourself of me so thoroughly when you grip me so tightly in your hands?" the voice questioned.

Axel paused, looking down at the sword in his hands. "What the hell," he whispered, confusion evident in his voice.

"Repeat after me," the voice whispered. "Kaika, Moeru no Sharin."

Axel closed his eyes, bowing his head. "Kaika."

"What did you say?" Renji asked, pausing in his next attack when he noticed that Axel had stopped moving.

"Moeru no Sharin," Axel finished, opening his eyes to see his chakram in his hands again.

Renji stopped. "Impressive," he said with a grin. "Mean's I don't have to hold back quite so much anymore." He swung his sword over his head once. "Howl, Zabimaru," he screamed as he released his zanpakto.

They fought for several more hours. Every time Axel would improve, which was quite often, Renji would step up his offense, pushing him even further. They hadn't even realized that the sun had gone down until Byakuya entered the training hall to check on their progress on his way home for the night. They hadn't stopped fighting until he scattered Senbonzakura about the room, making them stop.

"I take it training is going well," Byakuya said, taking in, not only Renji's released zanpakto, but also, what could only be, Axel's shikai.

Renji greeted his captain and grinned. "Only took a couple hours to get him to listen," he said, still smiling like a fool.

Byakuya nodded. "It is late and I am heading home for the night. I suggest you two do the same. I doubt even Ikkaku would let you in to drink this late, so I expect you to be to work on time tomorrow, Abarai" he said, leaving the training hall.

"Well, you heard the captain. Time to go home," Renji said as he slung Zabimaru over his shoulder, a cocky grin plastered on his face.

Axel concentrated for a moment, and he was no longer holding his chakram. He tucked his sword into his belt and headed for the door. "Sounds like you have to go back to work tomorrow," he said as they walked down the road. "Guess you don't have to babysit me, then."

Renji nodded. "You should spend the day meditating. Talk to your sword. Get to know him better," he said, returning Zabimaru to his side and slinging an arm around Axel's shoulders.

"Her."

"What?"

"The voice was female," Axel explained.

Renji sniggered. "Your sword is a part of you. So that means you have an inner female. Guess you don't have to work hard to get in touch with your feminine side," he said, fighting not to laugh as he spoke.

"I'm so going to kick his ass," whispered past Axel's ear, which caused him to smirk.

"She didn't like that very much," Axel said, elbowing Renji in the ribs, knocking the wind out of him and ducked out from underneath his arm. "And neither did I," he said, turning down a road, leaving Renji behind.

"Hey," Renji called, jogging to catch up once he got his breath back. "I was joking. Geez. Have a sense of humor, wouldja?" he said, placing a companionable hand on his shoulder.

"You know, you keep putting yourself in easy attack range," Axel said, backhanding Renji in the stomach.

"Meanie," Renji said, distancing himself a little. "You can sleep in the living room by yourself tonight."

"Now who's the meanie?" Axel said as they approached the front door.

Renji snorted as he opened the front door. "Thought you had someone you loved," he said as he went about making them a simple dinner.

"I do. I love him dearly, but he hasn't loved me for a long time. Not that it was his fault that he forgot about me, but I think it's kinda hard for someone to love you when they don't even know you exist. In turn, it's kinda hard to love someone when they don't even know you exist. The confusion on their face as they try to figure out who you are 'cause they think they should know you, but they don't. And they never will again." Axel shook his head, dispelling the depressing thoughts, and plopped himself down on a cushion around the low table.

"Besides, I'll get cold if I sleep out here alone," Axel said, getting comfortable on his cushion.

"I wouldn't really make you sleep out here. I have a spare futon, you can sleep in the bedroom," Renji called from the kitchen. He came out of the kitchen carrying some heated up rice and miso soup for the two of them. It took him multiple trips, but he soon had everything they would need for dinner out on the table.

Dinner was a rather quite affair, exhaustion catching up with both the men after their long day of training, the long day of jumping and dodging and running and being thrown back by forceful blows. Axel had made good progress in the hours that they had been training, being able to release his shikai and restore it to its sword form. That was pretty good, considering that yesterday, he didn't have a sword. Dinner was finished soon, the spare futon was made up and they curled into bed, exhaustion taking them off to the land of dreams.

Kaika, Moeru no Sharin

Kaika Bloom

Sharin Wheel

Moeru Flame


End file.
